Manchester United have been given a surprise boost in their hopes of clinching a last-gasp deal for Frenkie de Jong after Thomas Tuchel appeared to rule Chelsea out of the race for the Dutch playmaker.
Erik ten Hag has been pursuing a blockbuster deal for the Barcelona star all summer but the former Ajax boss has so far been unable to persuade his former midfield maestro to reunite with him at Old Trafford.
United have since struck a £60million deal in principle with Real Madrid to bring Casemiro to the club - hinting that their protracted attempts to prise De Jong away from the Nou Camp were over. However, Mirror Football exclusively revealed that United could still be tempted back to the table for the 25-year-old if his stance on a switch to the Premier League softens.